BSN420 Postgraduate Business Internship


To view more information for this unit, select Unit Outline from the list below. Please note the teaching period for which the Unit Outline is relevant.


Unit Outline: Semester 1 2024, Gardens Point, Internal

Unit code:BSN420
Credit points:12
Pre-requisite:48 credit points of postgraduate study completed in current course
Pre-requisite:Grade Point Average (GPA) of 4.0 or higher
Assumed Knowledge:

Knowledge and skills in major area of study appropriate to a postgraduate student who has completed 48 credit points or more of postgraduate study, and has a Grade Point Average (GPA) of 4.0 or higher.

Coordinator:Ingrid Larkin | ik.larkin@qut.edu.au
Disclaimer - Offer of some units is subject to viability, and information in these Unit Outlines is subject to change prior to commencement of the teaching period.

Overview

Postgraduate Business Internship is a work integrated learning unit for postgraduate students from any postgraduate major in QUT Business School. Students apply and build on the knowledge and skills developed during their studies in a real world setting. The unit develops and refines employability skills, engages students in career development activities relevant to postgraduate level of study, supports students to adopt a reflective approach to learning, and builds on previous study and professional experience to prepare students for transition to professional practice and careers in the future world of work.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:

  1. Apply knowledge and skills from your major area of postgraduate study in QUT Business School in a professional environment through an internship and professional development activities.
  2. Prepare, activate and evaluate a professional plan for your learning and development.
  3. Integrate a number of approaches to reflection in your learning and professional practice.
  4. Create engaging digital content to demonstrate your learning, development, and professional profile in the context of your major area of study and contemporary world of work.

Content

  • Experiential Learning
  • Work integrated learning
  • Reflective learning and practice
  • Understanding the world of work, and yourself in the context of work and career
  • Employability and career development tools and approaches
  • Understanding culture, norms, protocols in the context of work and career
  • Social and ethical understanding in the context of work and career

 

Course Assurance of Learning Goals (Postgraduate)

The QUT Business School has established the Assurance of Learning (AoL) Goals to meet contemporary industry needs and standards. Achieving these learning outcomes will assist you to meet the desired graduate outcomes set at QUT - aligned with other internationally renowned business schools. Students will develop the following capabilities relevant to a contemporary global and sustainable business environment:

Knowledge & Technical Skills (KS)
1.1 Demonstrate and apply integrated and advanced discipline and professional practice knowledge, including knowledge of relevant research principles and methods.
1.2 Apply technical, technological and technical research skills to organise and interpret discipline knowledge, including theory and practice, to investigate business issues.

Higher Order Thinking Skills (HO)
2.1 Critically investigate real world business issues and problems drawing on analysis, evaluation and synthesis of discipline knowledge, including theory and practice.
2.2 Exercise creativity and intellectual independence and make informed decisions and judgements in planning, designing, and executing strategic and research-based responses to address real world issues and problems.

Professional Communication (PC)
3.1 Use information literacy skills and communicate effectively and professionally in written forms and using media appropriate for diverse purposes, contexts and audiences.
3.2 Use information literacy skills and communicate effectively and professionally in oral forms appropriate for diverse purposes, contexts and audiences.

Teamwork & Self (TS)
4.1 Exercise self-reflection and accountability in applying knowledge and skills for own learning and effective practice.
4.2 Apply teamwork knowledge and skills for effective collaboration across a range of complex activities and contexts.

Social, Ethical & Global Understanding (SE)
5.1 Demonstrate and apply knowledge of ethical and legal principles and practices of business in critically analysing and effectively responding to complex business issues.
5.2 Demonstrate and apply knowledge of socially responsible behaviour in analysing and addressing business issues and critically reflect on the responsibilities and impacts of organisations in national and international business contexts.

Learning Approaches

Experiential learning, particularly work integrated learning and reflective practice, are key approaches to learning in the unit. Students will be prepared for and supported during their internship through workshop sessions, engagement with professionals, online resources, discussion and activities.

Feedback on Learning and Assessment

Students will receive feedback in various forms throughout the semester, which may include:

  • Informal: worked examples, such as verbal feedback, individual and group consultation;
  • Formal: in writing, such as checklists (e.g. criteria sheets), written and recorded commentary;
  • Direct: to individual students, either in written, recorded form, or in synchronous consultation; and
  • Indirect: to whole class.

Assessment

Overview

Assessment tasks reflect contemporary approaches and tools adopted in contemporary professional practice in business settings. Formative activities in workshops and online activities are designed to support students in successfully completing summative assessment tasks.

To successfully complete BSN420, each student must complete a minimum of 100 hours of internship activities (through placement, industry engagement, and professional development activities) during the semester of enrolment. Feedback from a nominated supervisor from industry or community partners which measures student's engagement, learning, application, and attitude during the internship may be considered in determining a student's final grade in the unit.

Unit Grading Scheme

7- point scale

Assessment Tasks

Assessment: Professional Plan

The professional plan sets out professional development goals, learning objectives, and activities for internship, negotiated between student, industry or community partner, and academic supervisor.

This is an assignment for the purposes of an extension.

Weight: 30
Length: 1,500 words
Individual/Group: Individual
Due (indicative): Week 4
Related Unit learning outcomes: 1, 2

Assessment: Reflective journal

Each student will compile a reflective journal using a number of approaches to reflection (eg 4Rs model of reflection, Kolb's reflective learning cycle, what/so what/now what approach, self and peer reflection). Reflection will include examining social, ethical and legal principles and practices, and socially responsible decision making in contemporary business settings.

This is an assignment for the purposes of an extension.

Weight: 30
Length: 1,500 words
Individual/Group: Individual
Due (indicative): Week 9
Related Unit learning outcomes: 1, 3

Assessment: Digital portfolio

Each student will create, compile and deliver a portfolio using digital tools, including online professional profile and digital story developed from reflection on internship experience and research on the contemporary and future world of work, with particular focus on major area of study.

This is an assignment for the purposes of an extension.

Weight: 40
Length: 5 minutes + 1000 words
Individual/Group: Individual
Due (indicative): Week 13
Related Unit learning outcomes: 1, 2, 3, 4

Academic Integrity

Students are expected to engage in learning and assessment at QUT with honesty, transparency and fairness. Maintaining academic integrity means upholding these principles and demonstrating valuable professional capabilities based on ethical foundations.

Failure to maintain academic integrity can take many forms. It includes cheating in examinations, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, and submitting an assessment item completed by another person (e.g. contract cheating). It can also include providing your assessment to another entity, such as to a person or website.

You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.

Further details of QUT’s approach to academic integrity are outlined in the Academic integrity policy and the Student Code of Conduct. Breaching QUT’s Academic integrity policy is regarded as student misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.

Requirements to Study

Requirements

Each student must secure an approved internship placement and planned professional development activities prior to census date.

Costs

As a work integrated learning unit, there may be some costs involved in travelling to internship location. Some internships may require a student to undertake review or check which may incur costs (eg police check, Blue card, White card).

Resources

The Canvas site for the unit provides a range and variety of resources to support students' learning.

Risk Assessment Statement

This is a Work Integrated Learning (WIL) unit.Students will be prepared for WIL including:

  • The importance of risk management;
  • Rights and responsibilities of stakeholders;
  • Risk management considerations for WIL activity:
    • Health and safety including requirements for induction
    • Confidentiality
    • Conflict of interest
    • Access and discrimination
    • What students may need to disclose
    • Financial issues
    • Intellectual property
  • Insurance coverage;
  • Any cost associated with WIL activities;
  • How student can raise problems that they are experiencing and receive guidance and support on their resolution; and
  • Instructions for students on who to contact in the event of an emergency.